New Perspective

Painting Flowers

After a stressful month of intense painting with Huan, "family" dinners, and a few surface level therapy session later, Kuvira found herself feeling even just the tiniest amount more free. She felt like she was capable of laughing and joking again and just making idle talk without all of the tension. Her sessions with Kya had proved to be less of a therapist/patient dynamic and more of a friend/friend dynamic which Kuvira felt better suited for. The two would spend hours together, just laughing, talking, and painting. Kya seemed to be the only person who could get through to the younger woman without causing any more damage, which is something Kuvira greatly admired.

"Are you ever going to show me what you're painting?" Kya asked for what seemed like the millionth time. A small chuckle made its way past Kuvira's lips as she turned away from her painting to face the waterbender.

"Not yet. The first person I want to see this painting, other than Huan of course, is Suyin." She placed the paintbrush down as as a melancholic look made it's way across her face. "I know I can't just...make up for everything I did to this family and more importantly the world." The trembling in her voice let Kya know that what she was saying was genuine, but still it saddened the older woman. "I'm hoping that with this painting, Suyin will see how far I've come and how much farther I wish to go."

Kuvira had always been more of a jock, participating in many competitions, dances, and anything else that soothed her physical body. But learning to paint was the one thing that currently brought her joy. The smell of wet paint, the sound of the brush on the canvas, and the otherwise deafening silence calmed her spirit.

The painting she had been putting so much effort into wasn't perfect, but it was her. She felt that even if she improved in her skills she would never be able to top it. It reminded her of everything she wanted to be and everything she strived towards for the future.

"Do you think you'll ever be ready to open up about what happened during your time in prison? I know my uncle was known for his work on the prison system, and that man was a sucker for true justice. But even I know the system has changed and not for the better."  Most talks between the two women were never that deep, only surface level things. Nothing that mattered greatly.  Still, Kya was grateful Kuvira had even given their "therapy" a chance. Not many people knew who the Great Uniter used to be and what she had become.

Kuvira thought about her request for a moment before speaking.

"I'm feeling a bit better today. Ask me one question, anything about my time in prison, and I'll answer it. I may not have the strength to give you a full answer, but I will answer the base of it."

"Progress!!" Kya thought to herself. She was truly proud of how the earthbender had been holding herself recently, and she was thankful that Kuvira had decided to open up.

"Alright, fair enough. Are two parters allowed?" She half joked. Kuvira nodded in silence as she resumed her painting. "Hm. Which guard treated you the worst during your time there, and what did they do to make your time worse?" Kuvira sighed deeply, knowing that Kya would hit her where it hurt the most.

"Figures you would ask that as your starting question. General Haoyu made my life hell during my sentence. As you know, I wasn't allowed to train or engage in combat there per the Avatar herself. And over time I began to lose muscle and weight. Which means I began to lose the means to defend myself." Her chest began to feel tight and her breathing became irregular and inconsistent. The memories of that guard haunted her every night and kept her in agonizing fear. But still, she somehow felt compelled to tell Kya the bare minimum that she needed to know in order to make progress.

"It doesn't feel right flat out saying the worst he's done. For now all I'll say is that a sadistic, misogynistic man should never be left alone with a female prisoner that could no longer defend herself." Against her will warm, salty tears streamed down her face as she let the brush hit her canvas once again. The most she could do to stop herself from sobbing right then and there was to keep quiet, although she wanted to drop the painting all together as she reached out for the waterbender. She was trying to be in control of her feelings for once.